Overview

• Central Military Commission approval cleared the Shandong, two destroyers and a frigate to dock in Hong Kong from July 3 to 7
• The deployed vessels include the carrier Shandong with missile destroyers Yan’an and Zhanjiang and frigate Yuncheng
• Public tour slots for the carrier and its escorts sold out within minutes of ticket release
• Cultural exchange activities aim to deepen residents’ understanding of China’s defence advancements
• The visit follows earlier naval diplomacy efforts dating back to the Liaoning carrier’s 2017 port call and November’s destroyer deployment